Mastering Fat Skis: A Guide to Riding Deep Snow

Do you want to know how to ski on fat skis? Since the carving revolution, there´s a lot going on concerning ski design. And the exploration for new and more efficient ways to ride in all kinds of snow gives us the chance of having a specific type of ski for each mountain condition. A good example of a design conceived for the big mountain lines, on deep snow, is the fat ski.

What you need to ski on fat skis is:

• A pair of fat skis, suitable for your height and weight.
• A few steep and deep runs with new snow.

Steps

1. Start by getting familiar with these wider, heavier skis. Turning with fat skis is closer to snowboarding than skiing. The skis will drift more than usual, but they will also stay on top of the snow.
2. Gradually increase the difficulty of the slopes you ride. Look for untouched deep snow, where you will notice that the fat skis stay always over the snow.
3. Try skiing closer to the middle of the skis. If with regular skis you tend to sit on the back when facing deep snow, fat skis let you stay in the middle, in total control, and floating over powder.
4. Take longer, faster turns. This is what fat skis are made for, big lines on steep mountains. So go for it.
5. When skiing on groomed runs, do not try to turn as you would with regular skis. You will not be able to use the edges as usual. So let yourself go and turn as if you where skiing on a pair of snowboards, drifting sideways.

Remember to wear a helmet, especially if you are new to skiing.